A Paragraph from SSCSJ
My companion, Rev. Dr. Lisa W. Davison, and I write weekly commentary and exegesis for persons that create the children’s sermon (moment) for their congregation. Ours is not a typical idea or help book with object lessons or words to use. It is not a cookbook of recipes to follow. Rather, it is another piece of the study puzzle if you follow the Lectionary texts for preaching and worship. Some use it with adults more than for their study and work with children. Some use it with Sunday school classes with youth. We hear that some read it devotionally. Each week, I’ll post a paragraph or two from one or more of the sections from Sacred Steps: Children’s Sermon Journal. To learn more about this resource visit our site: www.sscsj.org
Here is the first paragraph for 2 Cor 4:13-5:1 which is the epistle reading for June 10.
Is Paul a persuasive character in the New Testament? Is he more interesting to study than Jesus of Nazareth or the First Testament from which Jesus drew his understanding of God and model of faithful living? The answer for many believers is “yes” which is why, I think, many ministers try to model Paul’s preaching or base their call to ministry in something similar to Saul/Paul’s story. For good and for ill within Christendom, Paul’s story, his writings and the writings of those that claimed Paul’s name, have shaped and are now shaping Christianity for many believers. Why is he persuasive, maybe more persuasive than Jesus of Nazareth? Two thoughts. First, Christianity has cocooned Jesus in a divinity that celebrates him as part of the God-head and stripped the power of his humanity, along with his teachings, away from a historical person’s witness as a Jewish peasant within the Roman empire. Jesus commented on religious life and cultural existence always pointing to God. Paul, post Damascus road, goes about asking “WWJD”, trying to be “Christ-like” by preaching, starting faith communities, living grace-fully, and pointing to Jesus Christ as if pointing to God. Paul’s popularity, now, can be located in this 2 Cor reading.